Window construction



April 7, 1942. E. K. GEYSER 2,278,873

WINDOW CONSTRUCTION INVENTOR.

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April 7, 1942. G ER 2,278,873

' WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed June 4, 1940 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wmvsssfs. M d/65M 71% @644.

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mounted in parallel channel members.

Patented Apr. 7, 1942 2.278373 WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Emil K. Geyser, Baldwin Township, Allegheny County, Pa. 7

Application June 4, 1940, Serial No. 338,683

2 Claims.

This invention relates to windows, and more particularly to facing members for the ends of panes of glass in a multiple pane window.

In windows that are made from a plurality of panes of glass supported by muntins extending in only one direction the adjacent edges of the panes extending at right angles to the muntins are left uncovered unless facing members are added. Such facing members as have been known heretofore have required the use of separate fastening members to hold them in place, and some have been bulky and unattractive devices that detract from an otherwise neat appearing window.

H It is among the objects of this invention to provide a facing member f'or'windows of the character referred to above which is simple in construction, is easily installed, is neat in appear ance, conforms with the appearance of the rest of the window, and does not require the use of separate fastening members to hold it in place.

In accordance with this invention the facing member is in the form of a straight strip of suitable material, such as metal, adapted to overlie theadjacent edges of a pair of panes of glass The ends of the strip are adapted to project into the channels, and the back of the strip is provided with means that projects between the ends of the panes to prevent the strip from moving laterally. 'In windows where the channels are held in place by tongue-like members projecting into them from supporting members, the rear projection on each'facing member is preferably in the form of two parallel ribs or flanges that straddle the tongue-like members.

my facing member; Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section of the window taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is'a perspective view of a portion of the window.

Referring to the drawings, a building wall I most generally of masonry construction is provided with a window opening of any desired size. The top of this opening is defined by a horizontal member or lintel 2 (Fig. 3') which is supported by the wall at the sides of the opening and which in turn supports the masonry above it. In the case of a corner window, as shown, the ends of the lintels at the corner are supported by a vertical member 3 projecting down through the sill 4 inside of the window, and into the wall below it.

predetermined horizontally The window opening contains no frame for receiving a sash; instead, a plurality of separate vertical muntins 6 are individually and directly connected at their upper ends to the lintel at spaced intervals across the entire width of the window opening. These muntins may be in the form of angle irons, channels, or other sections, and their lower ends extend through the sill and are anchored in the masonry or steel framing, as the case may be, at

' the bottom of the window opening.

A plurality of separate horizontal muntins 1 are individually connected to the outer faces of the vertical muntins at vertically spaced intervals in a manner to be described presently. The number of horizontal muntins used will depend, of course, upon. the desired size of the glass-receiving openings and the height of the window. These muntins extend the full width of the window with their ends overlapping the flanges of the end muntins. If'the width of the window is greater than a convenient length for the horition to form upper and lower channels (land 9. The lower channel is deeper than the upper channelso that the upper edge of a pane of glass II can be inserted in the lower channel of a muntin, raisedtherein until its lower edge clears the top of themuntin below it,'and then lowered into the shallow upper channel of the latter muntin with the upper edge" of the glass still retained in the deeper bottom channel of the upper muntin.

This construction also provides the horizontal muntins with upper and lower flanges I2 and l3 which lie against the vertical muntins and which are adapted to be connected thereto by any suitable means. Fastening means suitable for this purpose consist of pairs of upper and lower tongues l6 and I7 projecting from the vertical muntins, the tongues of each pair facing each other for receiving the rear muntin flanges I2 and I3 between them. Preferably, the tongues are the end portions of C-clamps I8 inserted through slots H1 in the flanges of the vertical muntins. The tongues of each clamp are originally spread apart sufficiently to slip over the rear flanges of the H-bars and are then pinched toward each other to clamp the bars.

The panes of glass in each row are of suficient length to partially overlap the vertical muntins but are spaced apart by tongues l6 and I1, and

the space between the panes is filled with putty which not only seals that space but also covers the underlying portions of the vertical muntins. The space between the upper and lower edges of each pane of glass and the flanges of its supporting muntins is likewise filled with putty for sealing purposes. The putty can be placed in the channels before the glass panes are inserted, and retouched after the glass has been assembled.

It is a feature of this invention that the vertical joints between the panes are covered by facv ing members which protect the joints and imtrated and described what I now consider to repprove the appearance of the entire window. Ac-

cordingly, a straight flat strip 2! of metal or other suitable material of substantially the same height as the glass panes is mounted in place over each joint by first raising its upper end into the upper channel 8 and then sliding it down into the lower channel 9 in the same manner as the panes are mounted. The strip is wide enough to overlap the adjacent edges of the two panes of glass behind it, and as it does not project beyond the outer faces of the horizontal muntins it does not detract from the appearance of the window. On the contrary, these facing members have the appearance of vertical muntins and thus make the window look more complete. To prevent the facing strips from shifting laterally and thereby uncovering the joints, they are provided with rearwardly projecting means that extend between the ends of the adjoining panes. Preferably, the rear face of each facing strip is provided with a pair of spaced parallel vertical ribs 22 or flanges that straddle the locking tongues I8 and I1 between the glass panes, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. All of the facing members are thereby centered, and all of those in one vertical line are kept in alignment. No fastening members are required because the facing members cooperate with the horizontal muntins and the locking tongues in such manner that they can not get out of place. They can thus be quickly and easily mounted in position.

In a corner window the joint between the panes at the corner is covered by a facing member 26 similar to the one just described, However, this facing member is angular in cross section, as shown in Fig. 2. To help hold it against lateral movement the central portion may be thickened to provide ribs 21 that project between the ends of the adjacent panes of glass. This facing member is otherwise held in position in the same manner as the panes and facing members 2|; i. e., by insertion in the channels of glass-retaining horizontal muntins.

The opposite ends of the window are given a finished appearance by vertical end facing members 3| extending the entire height of the window. As shown in Fig. 2, each end member is preferably in the form of a channel the flanges of which are inturned at their rear ends so that they can be clamped against the adjoining vertical muntins by suitable fastening members, such as bolts 32. The fiange or rib 33 next to the resent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a window construction the combination with a plurality of horizontal channel members having upper and lower channels, the upper channel of each member being shallower than the lower channel thereof, and glass panes having their upper and lower edges disposed in adjacent channel members, the panes being narrower than said channels and being of such height that their upper edges can be raised into the lower channel of one of said members until the lower edges of the panes clear the top of the channel member below, of a plurality of facing members overlying only one side of said panes each of said facing members being in the form of a straight vertical strip overlying adjacent vertical edges of a pair of glass panes with its ends disposed in the adjoining channel members, the strip being of substantially the same height as said panes whereby it can be inserted in said channels in the same way, and the back of the strip being provided with a vertical rib projecting between said pair of panes and having a free rear edge so that the rib is insertable between said panes after they have been mounted in position in said channels, 7

2. In a window construction the combination with a plurality of parallel supporting members, a plurality of parallel channel members extending transversely of said supporting members, tongue-like members projecting from the supporting members and extending into said channels to hold them against the supporting members, and glass panes having opposite edges disposed in the channels, said panes being spaced apart with said tongue-like members between them, of a plurality of facing members each in the form of a straight strip overlying adjacent edges of a pair of glass panes with its ends disposed in a pair of said channels, the back of said strip being provided with a pair of parallel longitudinal ribs projecting between said pair of panes and straddling the intermediate tonguelike members to holdthe strip'against lateral movement.

EMIL K. GEYSER. 

